Although the court split 6-1 on the constitutionality of Proposition 8, the justices were unanimous in deciding to keep intact the marriages of as many as 18,000 gay couples who exchanged vows before the election. The marriages began last June, after a 4-3 state high court ruling striking down the marriage ban last May.
In an opinion written by Chief Justice Ronald M. George, the state high court ruled today that the November initiative was not an illegal constitutional revision, as gay rights lawyers contended, nor unconstitutional because it took away an inalienable right, as Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown argued.
Gabriel Malor at Ace’s has a download of the 180-page decision.
Amazing…
Considering the fate of some of the Justices of the Supreme Court of California the last time a really unpopular decision was made this was certainly no surprise. The Legislature fearing further resistance and more moderates and conservatives at the polls will not touch this issue with a barge pole. So the only avenue open for the pro-gay marriage groups is either another initiative(likely) or a lucky break(unlikely) in some Federal Court.
Good, now they should crown Ms. California for making this happen,again! Let them find their own!